My Elixir
by TatteredCrimson
Summary: [One Shot] With Naraku defeated...there's only one shard left. But...Kohaku has the last peice... [EPILOGUE]
1. My Elixer

I know I'm veering off track by making another story here, but don't worry, it's only a one shot ^-^ This idea came to me a looooong time ago and I finally decided to write it. It's kinda angsty sad @_@ but enjoy nonetheless. I don't know if someone wrote something like this, so I'm declaring now that this idea was original to me at least, and if it seems like plagirism, then I greatly apologize.   
  
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My Elixir

**   
  
  
  
    Only one…more shard.   
  
     It may have sounded like the most joyous thing ever.   
  
     But it was a nightmare.   
  
     No one realized how much hurt…and pain one of their member's was going through. It just seemed like an event too good to be true. But it was horrible. Naraku was dead; joy. Kagura finally got her wish and she was freed from him, showing them her thankfulness by giving them the shards. But then…there was…   
  
     Kohaku…   
  
     Everyone…seemed to forget about him. He was the one…with the last remaining shard that would piece the Shikon no Tama. It would seal the Tama…and steal his life.   
  
     Sango put her yukata over her as she rose from the futon. Calming Kirara so the small youkai returned to it's slumber, she took a step away.   
  
     It was a lovely, warm night. The breeze that passed from the window sent a chill up her spine, making her quiver quickly. She walked out of the room of the dojo quietly, hoping that she wouldn't wake Kagome and Shippou. Passing the rooms, including the one where Inuyasha and Miroku slept, she walked like the wind swept her at her feet.   
  
     She stepped down from the few steps, then walked quickly over to a well. Sitting down and resting her back on it, she began her quest of pondering. All she could think of…was Kohaku. The love…the betrayal she felt…the desparation…depression…   
  
     "Kohaku.." she muttered softly. She looked up at the clear, cloudless night. So many stars. So beautiful and luminescent. She continued looking up for a few more seconds before her vision blurred. Hot wetness formed at the corner of her eyes. She shouldn't reduce herself to tears.   
  
     A very small sob escaped her lips, making her shut her mouth with her hands, hoping she hadn't woken Inuyasha with his good hearing. And yet, as her hands remained over her mouth, her tears defied her and fell. She couldn't take the pressure anymore. Covering her eyes with her hands, she shut her mouth and allowed her tears to flow.   
  
     It seemed like an eternity before she was distracted. Something brushed onto her shoulder. Quickly removing her hands and looking up, she saw the soft, warm gaze of…   
  
     "Houshi-sama!" she muttered in shock.   
  
     He gave her a smile, then looked up for a few seconds. He returned his gaze to her. "I couldn't sleep well tonight, Sango-chan."   
  
     "Na—naruhodo…" she muttered. [I see]   
  
     "May I join you?" he asked with a small smile.   
  
     "Um…" She quickly wiped her eyes to avoid him asking questions. "Do as you wish," she muttered. He moved in to sit next to her. "But I swear to you now, Houshi-sama. I'm not in a light mood right now. One wrong move and I'll be more angry with you than ever." Her voice was filled with defensive anger. Her words weren't at all what she meant.   
  
     She didn't want him to feel her…   
  
     pain.   
  
     Miroku made a face at her that she obviously didn't notice. A flash of something struck his face. Maybe hurt. But she didn't have to know. "I swear that I won't make any offensive move to you, Sango-chan," he said. "You put little trust in me, though." He sat by her, leaning on the well and returning his gaze to the cloaked sky.   
  
     Sango looked at him for a few seconds; every crease of his face that bathed in the moonlight. He was such a beautiful man, mindlessly flaunting it with his lecherous ways. "Houshi-sama—" she started softly. She saw the expression on his face, though he tried to hide it.   
  
     "What is that caused you to cry, Sango?" he asked. Silence caught the two of them and danced around for a while.   
  
     "Made me…cry?" she asked. "I…wasn't crying, Houshi." But her eyes betrayed her very words. They were red and puffed, and despite what she thought, they were actually starting to water again.   
  
     "Why do you lie to me, Sango?" he asked. "Why do you have such little trust in me?"   
  
     "I do trust you…" she said apprehensively, her voice hardly above a whisper.   
  
     "Then tell me," he ordered.   
  
     There was another silent wave that passed through. The wind swept at her loosened hair, making her glad that it blockaded her tears as she looked down. "Kohaku…" she muttered softly.   
  
     Miroku stopped breathing and looked at her. Kohaku?…   
  
     Kohaku…has the last shard embedded in his back. How could any of them have forgotten? While they rejoiced that there was but only one more shard, Sango sulked in depression, knowing who it held it. "…Sango," he started softly.   
  
     "What's going to happen to him?" she asked as she looked up at him. "He's the last one with the shard. And yet…the shard is his only means of life."   
  
     How would it hurt her…to take her brother's life away so that the tama could be full? He didn't know what to say. Or do. So he did the only thing he could do.   
  
     Sango gasped quickly and looked at the monk as he grabbed onto her hand tightly and turned to her. "…Houshi-sama?…"   
  
     "Miroku," he said.   
  
     It was enough for her. It was enough for her to know…that she had his full support. Her eyes sullied as she kept her gaze on him. And to her surprise…she started crying again. "Mi…roku…" she muttered softly, never looking away from him with such sadness.   
  
     Without a single thought, he lifted his other hand to her…and he wiped away her tears with tender touches. It came to a surprise to him as more tears streamed from her lovely eyes. He didn't like it when she cried. "I cannot not tell you…" he started softly, "what you should do. It is your decision to make what happens to your brother. I can only support your decision."   
  
     More tears. He lightly caressed her cheek with his thumb, emitting a small smile.   
  
     To his utter surprise, she closed her eyes and lifted her hand to his. Slowly, she inched toward him until she pushed herself onto him. She didn't notice his blush; a thin line that discreetly covered his nose. She leaned onto him.   
  
     She didn't care who he was for the moment.   
  
     She needed support and love.   
  
     And he said he would at least give support to her.   
  
     He wrapped his arm tightly around her. He wouldn't dare touch where she deemed trespassing. He would respect her.   
  
     "You don't know…Miroku…how much your words…console me," she said softly.   
  
     He put his other arm around her hesitantly. When she made no move to stop him, he rested his arms around her.   
  
  
     It was a few hours later when the two separated. "Houshi…I'm going…to go back to sleep now…" she declared.   
  
     He removed his arms from around her and allowed her to stand up. "Sleep well," he declared, also standing. 'Kami-sama!! Must…resist…the urge,' he thought as he walked behind her. He held his hand out slightly, then returned it. 'I won't.'   
  
     "Thank you, Houshi…" she said as she went to the shoji and slid it open softly. "See you in the morning." He gave her a slight nod before he went inside his room.   
  
**

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**   
     Sango climbed onto Kirara quietly, look around for a few seconds to check if anyone was following her. Leaving behind her fighting outfit, she patted her youkai on it's mane of fur. "Kirara…pick up on Kohaku's scent…" she said.   
  
     The neko youkai didn't roar in reply, just lifted off the ground and followed her nose. She knew that Sango wanted to remain quiet.   
  
  
     The two flew for a long while until Kirara finally found Kohaku's scent and descended from there air. "You sense him, Kirara?" Sango asked. 'Kohaku…' she thought as her eyes sullied. She jumped from the back of her youkai and landed swiftly, her knee and hand touching the ground. She started walking, then stopped as Kirara took a step to follow her. "Stay behind, Kirara…Or go back to the others, rather," she ordered softly, going ahead of the youkai.   
  
     The youkai replied by turning to the direction it flew from and taking off into the air.   
  
     She walked on, grabbing onto her hiraikotsu tightly. She walked through the forest and got to a field clear with grass. She wanted to find him quickly…and maybe talk with him…before she—   
  
     A twig snapped by her. She whipped her head in that direction, surprised to see a village beyound a few hills. And then she saw him with a few game over his shoulder tied with strings. "…Ko—Kohaku…?" she said softly, taking a few steps with her.   
  
     The boy took a step back from her. "…Who are you?" he asked as he scrunched his eyebrows and lagged his head to the side a little.   
  
     "It's me…, Sango…" she said softly, holding back the will to touch him for the last time.   
  
     "…San…go?" he asked. "…I don't know you…"   
  
     "I'm your sister, Kohaku!" Sango said forcefully. 'Please remember me…' Sango's mind raced. She didn't know what to do in these few seconds.   
  
     "My…my sister?" he asked, cocking his head further to the side. He looked at her for a few seconds in disbelief.   
  
     "Don't you remember me, Kohaku?…" Sango asked, gripping her hands together.   
  
     Kohaku remained quiet as he looked at her. He didn't remember her. It was as if…his mind refused to remember.   
  
     He took a step back warily as she took a few steps toward him, holding up his weapon. 'Sango' came too close for comfort, which triggered his senses, making him throw his sickle at her.   
  
  
     "Kirara…" Miroku said as he cocked his eyebrow. Kagome and Inuyasha looked at the youkai, which bat it's feet against the ground in anxiety. As if telling them something.   
  
     Kagome looked at the youkai strangely, then stopped suddenly. "Inuyasha!" she started.   
  
     "What?!" Inuyasha asked.   
  
     "I feel…I feel a shard…" she said softly.   
  
     "What?" Inuyasha asked in disbelief. "Where!?"   
  
     "It's very faint…" Kagome started, "But I feel it coming…from this direction…" she said as she pointed westward.   
  
     "Where's Sango-chan??" Shippou suddenly asked.   
  
     It was then that Miroku put two and two together. He cursed loudly, making heads turn to him. "…It's Kohaku…" he said.   
  
     "Ko—Kohaku??" Kagome and Inuyasha asked at the same time.   
  
     Oh wait…   
  
     They'd forgotten…that he was the only one left with the shard still embedded within him.   
  
     This was going to be hard.   
  
     "Come on," Inuyasha said. "Let's go find the shard."   
  
     'Sango…' Miroku thought, looking ahead of him.   
  
  
     It seemed like an influx of memories poured through as soon as Sango blocked the sickle with the hiraikotsu and threw both weapons to the side. The first came to him when Sango threw her arms around him after he'd taken a few more steps from her.   
  
     At every memory that awakened in his mind, his eyes widened and twitched.   
  
     "Kohaku…" Sango said softly. "Kohaku…" she drawled out this time. She held him tighter.   
  
     "…O…nee…chan…" he said softly, his eyes widening in disbelief at how slowly and crooked the words rolled of his tongue. But it was the recognition of it…that got to him.   
  
     Sango remained quiet as she held onto him tighter, not caring of the tears that fell from her eyes.   
  
     This was what she wanted.   
  
     It would be her elixir for now.   
  
     To know that he remembered.   
  
     "Onee-chan!" he yelled softly as he put his arms around her. "I…remember…" he muttered softly. "I remember…"   
  
     "I love you, Kohaku," she said softly. She pulled away from him and smiled, bending down to his height. Sure to say, that was a sad smile that she gave.   
  
     Kohaku didn't like it. Her eyes were dull as she smiled. "Why…are your eyes so—"   
  
    "Look at you," Sango said as she gave another smile, putting one hand on her knee and her other hand in his bangs of hair, getting it out of his eyes. "My little brother…" she muttered softly, looking softly at the way his hair glistened in the sun light, then at his eyes, wide and innocent.   
  
     "Onee-chan?" he asked as he cocked his head again. Sango smile slowly turned into a straight line, her chin quivering softly as she kept putting her hand through his hair as if cuddling him.   
  
     She pulled him close to her again so he wouldn't see more tears in her eyes.   
  
     "Forgive me, onee-chan…for everything…" he said softly, holding onto the back of her yukata tightly.   
  
     They were together again.   
  
     And he didn't want anything to change that.   
  
     He felt her hand petting his hair, getting lower each time. But he didn't care. It was his sister. He loved her. And she wasn't going to ever let him go.   
  
     Sango held back herself from shivering as her hand ran over a cold spot on the back of his neck. Unable to hld back anymore, she held onto him tightly, giving a quick shiver of foreboding.   
  
     "I love you…" she said, more heartfelt than before. "…As your sister, how can I not forgive you?" she whispered.   
  
     Her hand brushed over the cold spot on his neck again, making him tremble from the light tickle.   
  
     "I'm so sorry…" she muttered softly.   
  
     There was silence.   
  
     "Nani…what for?" he asked. No sooner had he said the words did he feel a cold, seering pain run through his body. "Ne—Nee-chan…" he muttered in pain…and disbelief. His legs gave way under him and he tumbled against her, grabbing onto her yukata tightly. "Nee-chan…" he muttered again. "Why?"   
  
     He knew…that this shard in his back was his only means of life.   
  
     Why was she taking it away from him?   
  
     "Because I love you…" Sango retorted, feeling that his hold of her yukata was lightening. He nearly collapsed, sending her to hold onto him firmly. Finally, she just sat on the ground and held onto him tightly.   
  
     There was a long silence as she held onto his and continued petting his hair softly, shushing him at the same time. His body trembled. She started at him as his eyes began to close and his breathing began to come slower. Blood started to flush onto her outfit from wounds that had reappeared from many battles.   
  
     "At least…I can die…" he wheezed softly. He winced and shut his eyes tightly for a few seconds before letting out some air as if it had been held in for minutes. He was struggling to stay alive for just a while longer.   
  
     "Shh…Kohaku…" Sango said softly, her tears betraying the smile on her face. It wasn't a smile of joy.   
  
     _Finally_…his suffering could end.   
  
     "…having last memories of you…" he said softly. He gave another one of his cute smiles.   
  
     Despite what he wanted, he could feel the warm tears pushing from the corner of his eyes. Then again…it was very painful.   
  
     "Shh…" Sango urged. Her tears fled from her eyes quickly. But she didn't wipe them away.   
  
     She remained with him as his back lay on her laps and he held the back of her yukata with one hand and her sleeve with the other. His eyes seemed to wander softly as his skin gave of a bluish-white tint, darting around quickly. But as time passed…his winks lasted longer and his breaths came in wheezes, quickening at times, and slowing at others.   
  
     She held onto him until he breathed his last, a few tears falling down his young, full face. "We'll be together…Kohaku…" She looked down at the blood in her hands, not noticing the figure that stood a small distance from her.   
  
  
     "I smell Sango's scent around here…" Inuyasha said as he lifted his nose into the air. "I smell blood, too…" he added.   
  
     "Blood?" Miroku asked.   
  
     "The shard…is very close…" Kagome said, trying to get Miroku's mind somewhere else.   
  
     Miroku turned to her and Inuyasha, then quickened his paces so that he was ahead of them. It wasn't long until he was out of their sight.   
  
     "…Maybe…we should leave them…by themselves," Kagome said out of concideration for Miroku and Sango.   
  
     "Whatever…" Inuyasha said, stopping and walking by a tree before he leaned against it. "We'll wait for them here."   
  
     Kagome gave him a small smile.   
  
  
     Miroku kept on walking forward, his heart racing. Inuyasha said blood. He was hoping…strongly…that it wasn't Sango's blood. Although he didn't say whose blood it was.   
  
     He heard a low whimper come from somewhere. He paces quickened until he came to a small clearing and saw Sango sitting in the grass, blood in her hands. But he couldn't see anything else. The grass was too tall. He cursed mentally when she didn't notice him, thinking that she was doing something stupid…like…   
  
     Killing herself…   
  
     He saw the sword raise in her hands, then saw her mutter something, her lips moving delicately. But everything was far too quiet. She was about to kill herself!   
  
     "Sango!" he said loudly before he could think about what he was doing.   
  
     "Houshi-sama!" she said quickly as she looked up at Miroku. She looked at the sword in her hand, then back at him. 'No…he can't stop me!' she thought anxiously.   
  
     She wanted to end it all quickly.   
  
     "Sango, no!" Miroku yelled. His feet led him toward her faster than he thought.   
  
     Both minds emptied and only a continuum of blackness clouded them as actions were taken.   
  
     There was a sound of metal against metal…, sword to flesh, a few stuttered gasps…of pain, and finally a thud.   
  
     "Mi—Miroku…" Sango muttered softly. "Miroku…" she said softly, tears coming to her eyes again. "I didn't mean—"   
  
     Miroku winced as he held his side, his face a bit pallor and his features scrunched in pain. He moved his hand slightly so he could survey the damage. He gave a grunt of pain as he winced again, falling to his knees.   
  
     "Miroku!" Sango placed her hand over his, his blood seeping onto her hand. "I'm sorry, Miroku…Fogiv—"   
  
     "I'm fine, Sango," Miroku said with a slightly pained voice. "I can manage…" he said. He then furrowed his eyebrows angrily at her. "But don't you _ever_ do that again!" he said angrily. "If you try attempting suicide on me, I'll kill you! Don't you _dare_ do it in front of me and on my time and make it seem like it's my fault to everyone else!"   
  
     "Hou—houshi…" she muttered softly as tears came to her eyes again. She collapsed by the dead body of her brother. She winced as he got up and walked to her and gently put his arms around her. "Forgive me…" she whispered.   
  
     "I can't do that…" he said softly. "Not before I can say that I love you…" His words weren't very audible. "Don't scare me like that again…" he whispered into her ears.   
  
     But Sango's eyes widened. Her tears came at an influx, no longer wanting to be sealed inside of her.   
  
     He still loved her.   
  
     She nearly killed him just now.   
  
     After she did all that, he still managed to love her.   
  
     "Thank you…" she whispered back to him, putting her hand on his shoulder as he gently picked her up, throwing his own pain to the side.   
  
     Maybe _he_ was the elixir in her life.   
  
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T_T That was semi-sad to me. I've read things that have made me break out in tears. This story was just fun to write. D_D Please leave a reviews for me. It's greatly appreciated. And please read my two other stories **Black Heart** and **An Egg Full of Thorns** ^-~V Ja ne, minna~~   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Come What May

Wow…it took me pretty long to get out this chapter ^^;;. Well anyway, I'm glad that so many people liked this last chapter. ^^ Here's the conclusion. (It's not long, really). Review responses are at the bottom.   
  
**Dedicated to atlas-86. Thank you for support you've given me through your reviews. They've always pepped me up at the right time, and I just want you to know that you bring me so much happiness whenever you review (especially whenever you write poetry). Thank you very much for being my loyal reader. XOXO **  
  
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**Come What May**

  
  
  
    He took a few steps forward, throwing his pain to the side. His arm was currently under her knees with the other arm around her back so he could support her. Her crying had reduced a little bit, but he could feel her tears soaking into his clothing. He continued walking.   
  
     "Miroku," Sango said softly. He halted in his steps. "…Kohaku…"   
  
     He turned his direction toward the small boy's dead body. "…We'll get him later. I want to bring you to a dojo first."   
  
     "…So be it," she muttered. He walked on, a bit slower.   
  


**~*~**

  
     Inuyasha pushed himself off of the tree, his eyebrow cocked. "Inuyasha?" Kagome started. "What's wrong?"   
  
     "…The houshi's blood…" was all that Inuyasha muttered before his nose ticked upwards and his ear gave a twitch. "He's bleeding…"   
  
     "Miroku?!" Shippou said, leaning forward on Kagome's shoulder. "Miroku's bleeding?!"   
  
     "Let's go, Inuyasha," Kagome said. She saddled herself on his back and he took off, Shippou on Kirara's back.   
  
     It wasn't even a few seconds later before he landed in the forest and Kagome jumped off his back.   
  
     She heard a curse coming from Inuyasha and turned into his direction, cocking her eyebrows when he took off again. She closely followed and stopped where he stood. She was definitely shocked when she saw Miroku…holding Sango a few meters away.   
  
     …He looked a bit…pallor. It was rather strange, actually. She gasped as he dropped Sango and collapsed on the ground.   
  
  
    Sango rubbed her behind for a few seconds, then turned to glare at Miroku after he'd dropped her. "Miroku!" she said in anger. Her eyebrows went up a couple of seconds later after she realized that he was breathing heavily. "Miroku!" she yelled in shock, crawling over to him.   
  
     His hands were covering his wound, and his breathing was a bit choked. She came over to him and he weakly swatted her helping hand away.   
  
     She removed his hands from his wound and gasped. She failed to realize that his hands were covered in the dark ruby fluid. "Miroku," she started, "your wound is worse than you said it was!"   
  
     Beneath all of that cloth, she couldn't tell exactly how bad the wound was, and she wasn't ready to check (for fear of a lack of clothing). But she could see the blood soaking through his clothes. Probably his strain to carry her made it worse.   
  
     She froze lightly as Inuyasha landed at the side of Miroku. "What happened?" he asked angrily.   
  
     She looked up at the hanyou, and tears once again formed in her eyes. "I…I didn't mean to, Inuyasha," she said as if she'd just been reprimanded.   
  
     She heard him lightly curse, and then he bent down and grabbed one of the houshi's hand's before slinging him over his shoulder. She softly rose her hand to reach for the pained houshi, but then held back.   
  
     "Sango?" Kagome questioned out of breath as she reached the other teenager.   
  
     Sango turned toward Kagome and her let out a short breath of air. "Kagome…" she muttered, turning toward Inuyasha, "…what did I do to him?" She watched emptilly as he took off with the houshi on his back.   
  
     "…Let's go, Sango," Kagome muttered. "We'll go back to the village so we can help Miroku."   
  
     Sango then turned toward Kagome again before letting her features fall. Her face reddened as she held in her emotional pain. She covered her faced with a bloodied hand, then the other. "Everything is so wrong for me…" she said drawled softly. "Why does everything have to be so wrong?"   
  
     Kagome turned toward a wide-eyed Shippou. How often was it that Sango cried infront of them. It really didn't happen often. "Shippou, go back to the village. Go follow Inuyasha," she said sternly.   
  
     "Ha—Hai, Kagome!" Shippou said before giving another glance at Sango. He heard Kagome clear her throat, looked up at her glaring eyes, and instantly sped off.   
  
     Kagome turned toward Sango again, bending to her height and softly putting her arms around the older teenager.   
  
     Sango had suffered far too much. She was so close…and yet so far from the houshi, her brother tried to take her life times and again. She just never realized what tumult Sango was twisted in, what pain.   
  
     Sango twisted in Kagome's hold softly, trying to right her position so that she could use Kagome as her support. With her hands still covering her face, she buried her face into the crook of Kagome's neck and cried.   
  
     Besides, it was the only thing she could do right now. Cry. Just pour her heart out.   
  
     Why did he have to hurt her so much just by being himself? She didn't want to love him this much.   
  
     "It's not fair…" Sango muttered, trying to speak through her uneven intakes of air.   
  
     "What? What's not fair…?" Kagome asked.   
  
     "…You just have it so easy, Kagome. You just don't understand…"   
  
     There was a comment that Kagome wanted to say about that, but she couldn't gather her thought right now.   
  
     She waited for a few minutes to pass and for Sango to calm down before she rubbed the older teen's back for a couple of seconds. "Come on, Sango," she started. "Let's get back to the village…"   
  
     Sango nodded softly before she pulled herself away from Kagome. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I'm acting like a fool over something so simple." And it was a lie.   
  
     "Don't worry about it," Kagome said with a faint smile on her lips. She stood straight and Sango did the same.   
  
     Kirara did the two a favor by transforming shapes and letting the two climb on her back.   
  
     Kagome didn't know that Kohaku was dead, nor did she pay attention to the fact that the last shard was just underneath the layering of Sango's yukata. It didn't cross her mind.   
  


**~*~**

  
     "Maa, don't worry about the houshi," the old woman said, closing the shoji door behind her. "Just a few herbs and him resting for a day or two will have him back on his feet in no time."   
  
     "Arigatou, obaa-san," Kagome said softly, bowing her head softly at the kindness that the old woman was showing to the group. Not only had she let them stay in her dojo for two days, but now she was treating Miroku's wounds and allowing them to stay until he was better.   
  
     It was now well into the evening, just before sundown, and it was easy to say that Inuyasha was restless, Shippou was worried, and Kagome was tired. As for Sango…nothing crossed her features. She didn't look tired or worried or restless or sad…or anything. She continued staring forward blandly at the closed shoji door, her eyes dull. Her neko lay at her side, cuddling her hand softly.   
  
     Sango had long ago bathed in the small bath house in the back with Kagome and Shippou, trying to do something with the time that the old woman was taking to nurse Miroku's wounds.   
  
     She stood up after Kagome and Shippou had left to get outside of the dojo, going into her sleeping quatier. She wasn't really tired, but her mind most of all needed rest from today's turmoils. She slowly pulled her yukata off until she was in her sleeping yukata and got under the blanket of the futon and turned to her side.   
  
     She remained staring forward for a long time, barely content as Kirara walked to her side and snuggled close to her stomache. She lifelessly put her hand on the neko's tuft of fur, stroking it lightly. A delighted purr rumbled from deep within the neko, making it curl up in content.   
  
     Kohaku was gone. The last shard was in her clutches. Miroku was trying to overcome his wound, as bad as it was.   
  
     Everything was just…so _wrong_.   
  
     She really did want to end it all before when that sword was so close to her skin. Miroku wouldn't have to worry about her, she could be with Kohaku, and finally, her heart could be at peace. No Naraku, no pain of not having a single family member, everything would be…so golden.   
  
     Her eyes misted slightly and she blinked a few times before erasing the thoughts from her head. She didn't realize that so much time had passed.   
  


**~*~**

  
     Kagome cocked her eyebrow as she stared at Sango for a few seconds. So _that's_ were she had gone just an hour ago. She was about to go searching for her but Inuyasha told her that she was still in the dojo. She changed out of her clothes and into the sleeping yukata.   
  
     She walked around the other side of Sango and cocked her eyebrow even further, if possible. The older teenager was staring forward blandly, not even blinking. One could have said that Sango was dead, but the droned movements of her hand on Kirara's fur told otherwise.   
  
     "Sango?" Kagome whispered. No answer. What exactly was she thinking about? "Sango," she repeated firmly.   
  
     Sango then blinked as if she was in some sort of stupor before she turned to Kagome. "Kagome-chan," she said. What time was it? It was dark now. How long had she been in her state? She managaed to give a very fake smile to the younger girl.   
  
     "Don't fake it, Sango," Kagome said vigorously. "I want to tell you something."   
  
     "…What is it, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked. Much to the neko's dismay, she removed her hand so that she could support herself to sit up.   
  
     "…It's about Miroku," she answered. It wasn't very much surprising when the faintest glint came from Sango's eyes.   
  
     "What about him?" she asked.   
  
     Kagome paused for a while, sighing in minute sadness. But the more she thought of it…the more jealous she became of Sango. "Please…don't take what you have for granted…"   
  
     Sango paused and looked at her. "…I don't understand what you mean, Kagome-chan."   
  
     "Sango…I know you love him. It's…so obvious. Please, don't allow him to think that he's not important to you. Just…tell him."   
  
     Sango's eyes slowly slimmed into thin slits of anger. "Kagome-chan, how can you speak? You have Inuyasha, and it's so easy for you to say that. But it's different for houshi and I. I can't love him. That's the way it has to be. I don't want to! Everything he does makes me love him, and I hate it! I _hate_ it!"   
  
     "You said earlier today that I have it easier, did you not?" Kagome asked.   
  
     "…Yes," Sango answered, "And you very much so do!"   
  
     "I have it easy, Sango?" Kagome asked. "You have everything you want right here! He's right within your grips and it's so easy for you to have him! As for me, I don't even know—" she paused for a few seconds, turning her eyes downward as her face reddened— "Sango…" she continued softly, "…I don't know if I'll ever see you guys again. After the shard is complete…I don't know what's going to happen!" She was about to cry   
  
     "…Kagome," Sango said softly. Sango reached her hand toward Kagome and touched the younger teen's shoulder. She was rather shocked when Kagome pushed her hand away roughly.   
  
     "You listen to me, Sango," Kagome started angrily, her eyes defying her tone of voice by shimmering. "Listen, do me one favor. If I don't ever get to see any of you after the shard is complete, and believe you me, I'm buying you time because I _know_ that you have the last shard, do me the favor of loving Miroku. It's the least you can do."   
  
     Kagome knew? She knew Sango had the last shard? 'How could I have been so stupid to try to hide the shard from the person who can see them like a firefly flying in the dark night?' Sango thought. "…Kagome, I—"   
  
     Kagome cut her off. "It will be a slap in my face if you don't take advantage of what you have," she said. "I don't know if I'll be able to have Inuyasha. It's an unsure future for the two of us. But you, Sango, you have it right in front of you and you'll be stupid not to grab at what you have!"   
  
     Sango shut her mouth. What could she say to the words, anyway? Kagome was right. "Kagome, gomen…I never realized that you and Inuyasha…were in that sort of situation…"   
  
     "Don't be sorry, Sango," Kagome said. "We'll just have to figure it out. But I want you two to have every chance…I want you to be happy…"   
  
     Sango thought of the words for a few seconds. "How can I be happy?" she suddenly asked. "I have no one! No family! I have nothing now! Houshi-sama will do nothing for me! Nothing except causing me pain."   
  
     Kagome suddenly had a sour look on her face. "I don't understand you, Sango." The older teen was about to make come back. "Shut up," she ordered. "I'm pissed at you. Don't talk to me. Just go to sleep."   
  
     At that, Kagome lay on the futon and turned her back to Sango and throwing the blanket over her body. Sango gave her a confused glance. "…Kagome-cha—"   
  
     "I said shut up," Kagome said quickly.   
  
     It was quiet for a good amount of time, and Sango hmphed before also laying down and turning her back to Kagome as well with a glare.   
  
     She was angered at Kagome in a very immature way, but she knew that Kagome was pissed at her for an overly different reason.   
  
     It wasn't even a few minutes later before Sango's glare lightened and her eyebrows turned inward from sadness. What Kagome said was right.   
  
     'I'm being so absurd…' she thought. Miroku was always there for her, right? He supported her when the time came, right?   
  
     So why was she so immature about the fact that…she loved him too?   
  
     She waited for what seemed an eternity before deciding that Kagome was asleep. With stealth and quiet, she took the cover of the futon of her and sat up for a few seconds. She stared at the shoji door, deciding if what she was doing was wise. She gave a rather impatient sigh after a few seconds and stood up. It was slow, but she finally took a step forward to the shoji door, and then went all the way until she reached it and opened it, staring at Kagome to see if she had awakened yet.   
  
     When all seemed safe and clear she opened the shoji door, took a step out, and closed it quietly.   
  
     Kagome's frown turned into a smirk. Not only was reverse psychology so fun, but playing matchmaker was just as good.   
  


**~*~**

  
     Sango stared at the door that Miroku was behind, trying to decide if she should enter or not.   
  
     It took a lot of strength to slide open the door and shut soon afterward. She stared at the houshi's steady rising chest before averting her eyes to his face.   
  
     He was staring right at her!   
  
     "…Sango?" he asked softly, his eyebrows turned inward in confusion. He was nonplussed. She remained quiet. "…Did you take the wrong turn?"   
  
     "…No…" she muttered soflty. She took a step toward him.   
  
     "…Why are you here, then?" he asked.   
  
     "Do you wish for me to leave?" she asked about to turn around.   
  
     "No," he answered briskly. She took a few steps toward him. He beckoned her to come closer with his hand. She did indeed get closer, though rather hesitantly, but it was very much so a surprise to him when she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck. He didn't really _mind_ that under his and her yukata, there was really nothing separating them, nor did he mind her being right on top of him.   
  
     Oh wait, yes he did.   
  
     "As much as I know you're attraced to me, Sango, you're very much so hurting me," he managed to mutter as a joke. But he was serious about the hurting part.   
  
     "Gomen ne, Houshi-sama," she muttered as she rose off of him and blushed. He noticed. "Why did you lie to me before?" she asked after a while of complete and utter silence. "You told me you weren't hurt that badly."   
  
     "Nothing really, Sango," he said through a discreet smile. "I didn't want to worry you, you already had a burden on your shoulders."   
  
     "And collapsing before me didn't worry me?" she asked.   
  
     "Were you worried, Sango?" he managed to ask with a grin. It pleased him further when the she blushed in answer to. It was quiet for a while. Then: "…Do me a favor, Sango," he started, "don't try to make me suffer like that, Sango," he muttered softly. "You scared me earlier today…"   
  
     She paused and looked at him. "…In what way?" she asked shakily.   
  
     "…In what way? I thought I was going to lose something very…" he paused. She stared at him for the rest of the sentence, "precious…to me."   
  
     "Miroku-sama…" Sango started. It was rather sudden and shocking when she next spoke. "Do you love me?"   
  
     It was quiet for a few seconds. He didn't answer because he was confused again.   
  
     "…Gomen ne…I shouldn't be asking you these questions. You're soon to become a fallen monk." (A/N: Oh he's already fallen! Fallen madly and deeply inluuuv with you! *cheasy grin*)   
  
     "…It rather late for that, Lady Sango," he muttered softly. "And…yes…in a matter of speaking…I do."   
  
     Sango stared at him in shock. It further shocked her when he pulled her arm from under her and she fell ontop of him again. He didn't seem to mind, being that he put an arm around her back. It felt so right holding her the way he was. It gave him a rushed feeling in his stomache, but it still…felt so right.   
  
     Her eyes were wide, and she was madly blushing. "…Miroku-sama," she muttered softly, "…what are we going to do with Kohaku?" she asked.   
  
     He paused for a few seconds "…I will allow him to rest in peace, as soon as I am fit to move about, Lady Sango. We will have a burial for him and I will pray to Bhudda that he protect your brother."   
  
     "…Arigatou…" she managed to mutter.   
  
     Her eyes were growing rather heavy on her. And with her head on his chest (realizing that made her blush even more), she was able to hear the low drumming of his heart beat, and that made her more tired than she was before, being that it calmed her. The light circles that he ran unevenly about her back with his hand seemed to make her want to melt into him and just sleep. The houshi felt the same, being able to rub her back. It sent shivers through that he could touch her so, that he could love her the way he did. But something troubled his mind.   
  
     …Did she love him?   
  
     "I should be honored, Lady Sango," he said softly after a while, looking at her.   
  
     She looked up at him and met those dark violet eyes of his. There was a mischevious glint in the night light that came from them. It made her shift uncomfortably, but she tried not to apply pressure to his wound. "Why?" she asked hesitantly.   
  
     "Because you have bestowed upon me your warmth for two nights in a row." He felt a tinge of heat seeping onto his chest and he just knew that Sango was blushing. "But tonight…" he started with a very soft tone, gently moving his hand about her back, "I treasure it more…" He was whispering by this time.   
  
     All was quiet. She was breathing slowly, which probably meant that she was asleep.   
  
     Well that was rather anticlimactic…   
  
     "…I do, too," she whispered back to him. His hand stopped in their circular motions.   
  
     "Treasure this moment? Or love me?" he asked with a hint of humour in his voice.   
  
     "That's up to you to decide," she said.   
  
     He turned to his free side and wrapped both arms around her, making her gasp slightly. Her face was now nuzzled into his neck and he gave a shiver as her warmth breath touched him lightly. With as much courage as he could must (and it was a lot), he covered her forehead with a discreete and loving kiss before placing his chin ontop of her head.   
  
     They could stay like this for_ever_.   
  
_ _   
  
  
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and this story ^^. Just so you all know, I don't share Kagome's views. If she was able to come to the past with the Shikon no Tama, and if she's the one who broke it, it's sort of obvious to tell that after the shards are peiced, nothing overly dramatic will happen…Now, go read my other stories. And go read my new story, Life is Pain. It's another Sango/Kohaku-ish (with no incest romance!! O_O) fic, but I promise it's not disapointing! ^^ That and go read my other stories too. If you like a Sango/Miroku story, I suggest you read Black Heart. It's a good ficcie! I promise! Review responses:   
  
  
_Aamalie: Thankyou ^^. Rawk-iness is a good thing ^^ Yah, people! No copying! You have to ask my permission first >:O   
  
Shikon: Yes, yes she was. She's a rather stupid character sometimes…Okay, not THAT stupid…But anyway, you sympathize with her, eh? o_O, okily dokily then. *takes your little brother away from you*   
  
Serendy4evr: Could you really see Sango doing all of that? *cocks head to side* I thought it was rather…out of character for her. But with Sango, you never know! Thank you for your comment.   
  
sailorpsychosis: Were you really crying? Yay! I mean boo! I don't wanna make people CRY, but if it get's that close than I guess it means that the story's good.   
  
Tsume Yamagata: Were you really? Heart breaking? Hmm…>:D   
  
Miyami: Thank you very much ^^   
  
Dark Angel 13388: Eh, I decided to add an extra chapter ^^. Who knew? Anyway, I'm uh…"glad" that some parts brought you to the point of nearly crying. Is that a good thing?   
  
Lil-strange-person: You need a hug! *makes Miroku give you a hug*   
  
atlas-86: Your request has been fulfilled :D:D:D   
  
StarryEyedChick: Thankyou. I wanted it to be bittersweet ^^   
  
Houseki: Thank you. I try to be original. *coughs*   
  
Oneiropolos: Thank you! ^^ Oh, just let the tears all out! Let it out! *being dramatic*   
  
S@n-ch@n: Thank you! AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ME ON YOUR FAVOURITES LIST!! I LURV YOU! XO _  
  
  
That's all for the reviews. Now, I don't have anything to say accept review. Please review. Oh, and read my other stories too! Read them.   
  
Go read…   
  
_Go read…_   
  
**Go read…**   
  
_**Go read @_@**_ (and dun' forget to reivew!)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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